Here comes the next round in the city’s most intractable debate over the further development of Atlantic Yards, as it appears that exactly one week ago, Forest City Ratner filed its first building application for a residential tower on the corner of Dean Street and Flatbush Avenue.

The Observer’s initial read of the DOB application, which Brownstoner turned up today, details Bruce & Co.’s intention to build a residential tower that will run 33 stories tall and 375,000 square feet large. Although there is no word yet on whether this tower will be the pre-fabricated tower that got us so excited back in March, it is clear from the filing that, in keeping with the company’s initial agreement to develop the Atlantic Yards site, approximately half of the new building’s 368 units would be reserved for affordable housing.

What is most telling about the filing is not contained in the document itself but in the mere action of its filing.

As The Observer reported in the fall, Forest City Ratner planned to begin construction on the project during the first half of this year. While it has missed that mark, there was suspicion nothing would get built this year at all. Herewith is the first proof that might not actually be the case.

According to Forest City Ratner, everything is moving ahead as planned. “The permits were filed as standard operating procedure as we move forward,” Director of Commercial & Residential Development MaryAnne Gilmartin said in a statement. “We are still designing both prefab and conventional alternatives for the first residential building at Atlantic Yards and are shooting for a year end groundbreaking. We hope to show renderings to the public during the 4th quarter of this year.”

Comments

“While it has missed that mark, there was suspicion nothing would get
built this year at all. Herewith is the first proof that might not
actually be the case.” Convoluted way of saying “it looks like he was right”.